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Fig. 48. Black rat tibiae. Healthy, modern specimen (right), compared with specimen (00,401.2) from the Emanuel Point Ship (left) showing pathological changes suggestive of rickets. Both are immature specimens. Drawings by Kate Armitage.
During the examination of the rodent material, it was noticed that six limb bones, “all from very young (immature) rats, are noticeably stunted (i.e., abnormally shortened) and have a distinctive, abnormally “flaring”or ”cup-like” outgrowth of the end of the shaft; either proximally or distally, depending on the type of skeletal element involved (Armitage 1995a:20).” These pathological changes are typically associated with rickets, as discussed by Baker and Brothwell (1980:49).